Fatal Curiosity
by ethereal girl
Summary: After Season 8. Coop is a little too curious for his own good. Contains Coop, Phoebe, Cole. This story has 2 different endings find out which you like more! COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**CHARMED**

"**Fatal curiosity"**

**Summary  
**Coop is a little bit too curious for his own good.

**Characters  
**Coop, Cole, Phoebe

**Timeline  
**5 years after end of season 8.

**Disclaimer  
**I don't own anything about Charmed, I just toy with the characters.  
I used the lyrics from "Three Days Grace." "I hate everything about you", _in italics_ and they are not mine, of course. The song inspired me for this short story.

**A/N  
**I didn't watch Charmed after season 6, therefore I know Coop only from telling. So if his character is out of place – sorry.  
Honestly I don't hate Phoebe; she just very often ends up being beaten up in my stories. I don't know why, must be some subconscious resentments for treating Cole so badly.

Many Thanks to Lori for beta reading!

If you like this story, please leave me a review – thanks!

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Coop stood across the coffee shop. His informant had pointed towards him too. He had invested quite a lot of time, energy, open favours and powers of persuasion to get this far. And now he was almost shying back from doing it. He had a bad foreboding but he needed to know. He took one last look at the picture and buried it in his cloak's pocket. The picture he had taken from the Book of Shadows without the Charmed Ones' knowledge.

The picture showed his wife exuberantly happy in the arms of another man. Before he had gone on this mission he had never bothered to look at Belthazor's entry in the Book. Coop regretted that he did though some time ago. He was in need for a picture of Cole Turner and the one in the Book of Shadows seemed to be the last one left. Coop couldn't forget the words an evident head over heels Phoebe had written in the book.

"Loves jazz and long walks in the park. Is ticklish. Likes fine wine and is good in bed."

God! He bet no one liked to read these words from his wife about another man. He shoved the picture back in the pocket and determinedly walked across the street, entering the café. He looked around for the person he was searching for. Coop found the man sitting alone at a table, studying some files. Luckily the café was rather crowded and so he strode over to him.

"Hi, is this seat taken?" Coop asked politely.

The man looked up, distracted, "Sure." Then he turned his attention back to his files.

Coop took off his coat, hung it over another nearby stool and settled down. He ordered some café and a chocolate cake. While waiting he tried to watch the man opposite inconspicuously. He noticed that he was wearing expensive clothes. Coop observed that he was well-groomed, around his own age, decent.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Ahm, I just was just wondering what you were reading so intensely? "Coop excused with a little embarrassed smile. Obviously he hadn't been as unobtrusive as he thought.

"Well it's not nice to spy on people," the stranger reprimanded dryly, fixating Coop coolly.

"Sorry, for bothering you but since we are talking anyway, my name is Coop," he offered the man his hand over the table.

A suspicious eyebrow raised itself over some piercing blue eyes. "Is that like Madonna?"

"What?" Coop took back his hand as the other man obviously didn't plan on shaking it.

"I just wondered if last names got out of fashion and nobody told me?" the man asked.

Coop wasn't prepared for the quick-witted nature of his opponent. "Huh..Coop ….Halliwell." The moment he had uttered Phoebe's last name he knew it was a mistake. He could see the other man tense and then very slowly close the files in front of him.

"Then I bet you know who I am and it's no coincidence you met me here."

"Kind of….Mr. Turner", Coop admitted.

"As we both know who I am, who are you?" Cole looked at Coop with some more interest than before. He was too old to be the son of one of the Charmed Ones that left him to be, "whose husband are you?"

"Phoebe".

_Every time we lie awake  
After every hit we take  
_

Cole needed a moment to get over his shock. Of course Phoebe would marry again, she was an adorable woman. "Whatever you Halliwells want, I don't care." Cole stated icily, his face becoming a mask.

_Every feeling that I get  
But I haven't missed you yet  
_

Coop tried to read Cole's feelings but since he was a demon, he didn't get a read on him. Shit! He wondered how Cole Turner felt towards his wife. Turner was a legend in Cupid's circles. The demon who loved. Coop planned on disclosing his secret.

"The Charmed Ones don't know I searched for you."

Cole leaned forward, now intrigued. "What would Phoebe's husband of all things want from me?"

_Every roommate kept awake  
By every sigh and scream we make  
_

Coop shrugged. "I guess I was curious". He had pictured Phoebe's evil demon ex-husband far more crudely, brutal and mean. Not at all like the smooth man who had led him up the garden path so easily.

Cole put his files in his briefcase. "I don't believe you." He signalled the waiter and paid.

"Wait!" Coop grabbed Cole's arm to stop him leaving the café.

The next thing Coop knew he was pushed against a wall, hard. Cole's hands were on his neck. "Nobody tells me what to do!" Cole snarled. He had blurred them out of the café. This guy was trying his patience and furthermore rubbing into his face that he was Phoebe's husband. It pissed Cole of to no end.

_All the feelings that I get  
But I still don't miss you yet  
_

Coop felt the pressure on his windpipe. Overcoming his shock he fought back, trying to rip Cole's hands from his neck. He had no experience in fighting demons but he was a strong man and managed to rip one of Cole's hands away further struggling with Cole for having the upper hand. Suddenly Coop's feet gave away and he slumped down screaming. Cole tried to back away in surprise, but Coop had a grip on him.

"What the fuck?" Cole cursed trying to free himself of the clinging maniac.

Coop only held on tighter almost bringing Cole to his knees with his weight. Cole was near using a fireball on the mad man. Drops of sweat appeared on Coop's forehead as he was hyperventilating and his eyes rolled back. Before he could free himself, Cole heard a familiar voice yell behind him.

"Let him go you bastard! Now!"

_Only when I stop to think about it  
_

Cole didn't need to turn around; his senses warned him of the attack without seeing it coming. Quickly he blurred out, taking the attacker by surprise, catching her wrists and spinning her around using her momentum. He knew this attack pattern. He had trained her. Cole came face to face with a seething Phoebe Halliwell.

_I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
_

Phoebe was stunned only for a split second by the face that stared down at her.

_I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
_

"Stupid Shape shifter, you think you're smart using this form?" Phoebe hissed.

_Every time we lie awake  
After every hit we take  
_

With a quick unexpected move she freed one of her hands and punched Cole hard in the face. His head was thrown sideward from the blow and he felt blood run down his nose spilling on his lips and shirt.

"Don't think for a second I won't vanquish you because you look like him!"

_Every feeling that I get  
But I haven't missed you yet  
_

Phoebe was about to hit Cole again but he shook his stiffness off and caught her arm, forcing her backwards by pure strength. She tried to dodge him several times but he caught her between his body and the wall. Cole was smarter than that to allow her room to get a good kick or punch at him again. He pressed his body fully, deliberately against her, making her squirm in uneasiness. Phoebe stared at him defiantly, struggling to break free from his grip.

"I don't doubt it!" Cole growled lowly in her face.

_Only when I stop to think about it _

I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you

Her eyes warned him against moving any further but in a daze he leaned down and pressed his lips on hers. Phoebe struggled wildly but Cole had a grip on her upper arms.

_I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
_

Down on the ground Coop watched terrified how Cole cornered Phoebe to the wall using his bigger body and strength to hold her down and forcing himself on her.

"Let her go!" Coop yelled furiously.

Coop was trying to get back to his feet but he was swaying and needed to support himself. His heart was pounding madly. He had brought Phoebe in this situation. She had come to help him; she must have felt his pain with her empathic powers. Damn his idea to go after Cole Turner.  
Finally Coop managed to stumble towards Phoebe to help her, when suddenly something changed. Coop became confused and stopped his attention set to the strange feelings springing to life.  
It was like wind passing over embers stirring up sparks. First the flames were hesitant, like testing the surroundings and then they got bolder, growing quickly and spreading like wildfire. There was no chance of stopping it, Coop felt it. It would consume anything in its way, without guilt, without consideration. It was raw. It was powerful. It was passionate. It was the most beautiful feeling Coop had ever felt. His whole self was responding to it. It was the utmost essence of his being. He was feeling the most powerful emotion of all and the reason for his existence. Love.

_Only when I stop to think  
About you, I know_

His eyes grew wide when he realised the origin of those feelings. The scene before his eyes had changed considerably. Coop felt like someone had pushed a knife straight through his heart. Phoebe wasn't fighting Cole anymore.Her arms were tightly wrapped around his neck, pulling his face down to her. Her body eagerly pressed against him, almost merging into his. They were feverishly kissing, more devouring each other. Phoebe's face glowed in an enraptured light.

It couldn't be Cole Turner's feelings because Coop had only been able to feel them, when he touched Cole. And then he had felt only heartbreak. Heartbreak so great Coop had almost passed out feeling the full impact of it. He wondered how a being could bear this pain. A cupid certainly couldn't.

_Only when you stop to think  
About me, do you know_

So this was what Phoebe, his wife, truly, deeply felt for Cole Turner. Feelings surfaced that were buried and hidden for years. Coop sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands. His own heart aching beyond everything he ever deemed possible. Compared to the unstoppable fire Cole Turner awoke within Phoebe. The love he and Phoebe had shared over the last years seemed like a small flame in a lantern. In good times Maybe the safe and pleasant fire in a tiled stove. With tears in his eyes Coop looked up and saw Cole backing away from Phoebe, a tortured expression on his face.

"Still thinking I'm a shape shifter?" Cole taunted nastily.

_I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you  
_

"Cole," Phoebe breathed, her knees shaking and her heart fluttering. Her whole world had just turned upside down, "You are here…how?"

"I won't tell you so that you can correct your mistake," Cole spat, "Even I learn the second time around."

_You hate everything about me  
Why do you love me_

Phoebe's face fell from supernatural happiness to sheer horror. "Paige told me you were…..dead!" Phoebe looked at Cole with big brown eyes nervously searching for the tenderness he had offered before.

_I hate  
You hate  
_

"And you were too happy about it, weren't you." Cole answered sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest.

_I hate  
_

"No," Phoebe shook her head slowly, "….not after I realized…"

_You love me  
_

"No need to lie to me, Phoebe," Cole cut her short angrily. "I'm not interested in you anymore! Take your pathetic husband and stay the hell away from me!" he continued.

_I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you_

Coop watched the scene without comprehension. Cole Turner was rejecting Phoebe. After the love Coop had felt from Phoebe and the heartbreak from Cole he wouldn't have thought that. Only judging by the feelings Coop had witnessed, the two should be made for happily ever after.  
He realised he had no chance against this. There had never been a chance for him. He had fooled himself. That was when jealousy raised its ugly head inside Coop's heart. He was a Cupid, but he was also a man and not above these feelings. Especially when they had been the foundation of everything he had built his life on over the last years.

"You lied to me!" Coop's voice cracked.

Phoebe turned towards him, reluctantly taking her eyes off Cole, her voice still somewhat breathless. "What do you mean?"

"Remember when you told me, that you never knew love before you met me?" Coop queried, with an appalled look on his face.

Cole raised an eyebrow and smirked gloatingly, "She screwed you big time Coop, welcome to the club!"

"I remember!" Phoebe admitted unwillingly as she shot Cole an irritated glance before concentrating on her husband. She didn't like the way this was going-at all.

"You lied to me!" Coop accused in a stronger tone as he stumbled to his feet. His glance darted from Phoebe to Cole, who stood at the sideline watching silently as the fallout was about to hit.

"I didn't…," Phoebe started, "…it's different….I love you Coop," Phoebe insisted.

"How can you even say that after you threw yourself at him like that? Can't you be honest at least at the end of our relationship?" Coop cried. "I felt your heart racing, Phoebe, almost bursting from joy! I'm a Cupid goddamn it! I live to bring these feelings to couples," he continued.

"You mustn't read my feelings Coop," Phoebe shot back hotly, gesticulating heftily. "We agreed on that! I don't read yours, you don't read mine," she added.

"That's besides the point!" Coop yelled in full scorned husband mode. "I couldn't have locked it out even if I wanted too and I didn't! When you kissed him…." he motioned at Cole and his voice became weak, "Your feelings for him were like a supernova exploding right in to my senses."

Phoebe looked to the ground, stumbling over her words. "I'm sorry… I …didn't…think…it was there…still… …I…mean... all ….these years……Coop...You ...know… we …..I….thought …..He was gone…for good…" Her glance sneaked to Cole for a moment before settling on Coop again. "I…don't…know what to say." Phoebe finished lamely. She felt totally overwhelmed by the events of the last few minutes.

"You don't need to say anything anymore Phoebe," Coop replied in a harsh tone. "We are done! I had a feeling we would drift apart for the longest time but I didn't want to acknowledge it. Guess I can't deny it any longer!" he pulled his wedding ring from his finger and threw it at Phoebe in a violent gesture.

Phoebe watched her husband with wide eyes. Her world was crashing down all of a sudden. "Coop! Wait! Let's talk in peace….." her voice trailed off.

"Need to get wasted? " Cole asked Coop, still standing aside. He sure as hell could use a big sip of some hard liquor right now. Besides Cole felt some sympathy for the Cupid. He knew heartbreak only to well, especially the kind Phoebe Halliwell caused. Sadly he couldn't find any joy in the Cupid's revelation that Phoebe still loved him, just resentment, frustration, sorrow and the slight trace of hate.

Cole had kissed Phoebe out of impulse not because he wanted her back. Maybe he also wanted to piss of this vain cock of a Cupid. It just had gotten out of hand, like so much in his past relationship with her. Cole had learnt his lesson with Phoebe Halliwell the hard way. Two vanquishes were more than he could handle. He wasn't begging for number three. Nope. No way.

Coop nodded, hanging his head. This mess wasn't Cole Turner's fault or Phoebe's. It was HIS own fault. He had been so bold, so arrogant and against his better judgment had sought out the guy who was part of the epic love story about the Charmed One and the Demon every Cupid worshiped.

He thought he – a Cupid – could take the Demon on.  
He thought he – a Cupid – could make Phoebe fall in love harder than before, and be part of an even greater love story with a happy ending nonetheless.  
So much for his happy ending!  
He – a Cupid – should have known that you couldn't command love.  
He – a Cupid – had been blinded by his own feelings for her.  
And now he paid dearly for his hubris. His dreams had literally been burnt to ashes in the passionate fire of hers for this other man.

"I know just the right place," Cole interrupted Coop's inner struggle, looking Phoebe straight in the eyes. His blues cold and distanced, covering, denying, not allowing for what she had felt in his kiss, was there still .

"Let's go," Coop agreed flatly, "There is nothing left for me here!" he stepped next to Cole, not raising his eyes to meet Phoebe's.

"Coop…Cole….wait…you can't…" Phoebe stammered taking a desperate step towards them, totally perplexed by their sudden bonding against her.

Wordless Cole blurred out, taking the Cupid with him and leaving Phoebe behind.

Phoebe starred in disbelief at the space the two men just had been. Both had abandoned her. Just like that. Like this was her fault. "Why do I have to lose it all again and again?" she whispered to the empty room, but no one answered her. With a sigh she looked around the flat, supposedly Cole's, searching for the way out. She found something else instead.  
By the fireside she discovered Cole's favourite picture of them. He must have taken it from his old flat in San Francisco years ago. It showed herself years younger wearing a knitted cap and looking up at his gorgeous smiling face adoringly.

Some things just never change.

Her love for Cole.  
Cole's love for her.  
And that they were wrong for each other for a thousand reasons.  
Right now she wouldn't give a shit about a single one of them.

She wouldn't tell her sisters about Cole and she doubted that Coop would, either. She didn't want Paige to start her vendetta against Cole again. Cole had the right to be left in peace.Something she wouldn't find now, not with the knowledge that Cole was still very much alive, but not wanting to be with her.  
She put the picture back on its place, lightly stroking Cole's face on the picture one last time with her thumb. Phoebe then turned and walked away and left the flat without a glance back.

She could only go forward, even if the biggest part of her would stay behind forever.

The End

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AN: If there is some interest in this story I might do a sequel dealing with the consequences of this encounter.


	2. A drink or two

**A/N:** Thank you so much for your reviews!! They made me really happy. This started out as a one-shot but since the response was so great - thanks guys!! - and the story didn't want to end like this, really it changed constantly in my head, I decided to do a sequel.  
I hope you enjoy this installment too.

Many thanks to Lori again for beta-reading and doing a fantastic job in disentagling my sentences.

**-------------**

**A drink or two**

Cole and Coop blurred in the men's restroom of a shabby truckers bar. They marched, Cole at front, through the crowd headed to the pool tables near the long bar.

"Where are we?" Coop asked looking around the pub critically.

"Somewhere where it's already late enough to drink," Cole answered dryly.

"The bar is packed," Coop discovered. The people, mostly guys, were standing side to side, or back to back, with no space left between.

"I always get a place," Cole assured arrogantly while Coop frowned at his attitude.

Some big bears of men were standing at the place Cole aimed for. They were dressed clad in jeans and black leather jackets, fancying caps, long hair and beards. They looked like a part of the hells angels. Coop fell a little behind not sure what Turner was up to.

Cole didn't seem to notice or care as he tapped one of the guys' shoulders, who was visibly twice his own weight.

"Do you mind making some space for us?" Cole asked.

The man turned his head surprised by the question, but grinned spitefully as he saw Cole in his neat expensive Hugo Boss suit. He turned his broad frame fully towards Cole trying to stare him down and growled, "This is no place for you milksop! Get lost before I trash your sweet face and shove your head up your arse!"

"I really wanna see you try!" Cole smirked while leaning forward with their faces only some inches apart, holding the other's gaze for a moment.

Before the biker could react Cole stepped back, caught the man's long beard and pulled it down hard with one hand, with the other knocking the man's head against the bar with brutal force. There was an immediate cracking noise as the biker's nose broke, instantly knocking him out. The man fell to the ground limply. Cole shoved the body to the side with his foot not minding the angry stares of the others' companions.

"Hey Cupid, what are you waiting for? "Cole called waving for Coop.

Coop wasn't comfortable with the whole situation but stepped next to Cole nonetheless. He chose not to stand near the side where the biker gang stood. He wasn't keen on getting into this mess, this was Turner's thing. At the same time the other guests at the bar backed away from Coop not wanting to get into a fight either.

The bikers stared at Cole and Coop for a moment before lifting up their friend and hauled him out. The last one to leave came back to Cole.

"When we meet again- and we will, you will wish you never did this!" he threatened with a low voice, his small rat-like eyes burned with the need for revenge.

"I'm going to have a couple of drinks now, "Cole said casually, "You and your friends can come by later, when sleepy buddy is awake again. I'll be here."

Cole turned, for now he ignored the seething man besides him, and signalled the waiter. The waiter hurried to put a newly opened bottle of Tequila and two glasses in front of Cole and started filling them. Cole nodded towards Coop as he reached for one of the glasses.

"To Love, "he grimaced sarcastically. "Which is a hugely over-rated emotion, anyways. May it never hit me again." He raised his glass and toasted Coop, before downing the whole glass without hesitation.

Coop clinked his glass with Cole's. "To Love," he agreed and heaved a heavy sigh, "May I never be so wrong again," he replied before gulping the content of his glass down in one swift motion also.

The bartender was quick to refill their glasses. And Cole was quick to down the next glass also. Coop looked at him raising an eyebrow. "You are in quite a hurry," he stated while he emptied his glass also.

"Demonic constitution," Cole explained, filling up his glass again. "I need quite an amount to knock me off my feet. How is it with you?"

"Don't know, "Coop shrugged, "I've never felt the need to get plastered before." Coop grimaced as the liquor burnt going down his throat again.

"Never?" Cole asked incredulously, "You guys up there seem to have much more fun than we do down here if you never need a drink to get through."

"Fun?" Coop shook his head. "We are not supposed to have fun or love. We make other people fall in love, not ourselves. And it's really hard work to make people fall for each other." Coop felt the need to defend his profession against his smirking drinking companion.

"I see, you married her for the greater good, how selfless," Cole quipped sarcastically rolling his eyes.

"I was sent to heal the damage YOU did to her," Coop corrected Cole indignantly but softened when he continued, "But I fell for her, bent the rules for a while and married her at last." Coop gave the short version of his story with Phoebe.

"And off you go happily ever after, "Cole spat cynically, gripping his glass tightly. "Whoever claims love is worth it, doesn't know shit!" Cole huffed. "It's only blindness, pain and lies." He downed the next glass, savoring the burn in his throat. "You and your colleague's fucked up with me."

"You fucked up yourself!" Coop retorted, "We are not in charge of your kind! Whatever you did, you screwed it up all by yourself!"

"Same like you," Cole answered pitiless, "Pushing Phoebe right into me. Really smart move."

"Shut up!" Coop growled filling their glasses again.

For a while both men sat silently, starring in their glasses, emptying and refilling them several times, lost in their own thoughts.

"She loves you," Coop finally picked the conversation up again.

He said it, not so much for Cole's sake but his own. He had to wrap his mind around the fact that he wasn't the guy meant to be at Phoebe's side. She probably had failed him as his wife, but he had clearly failed her as her Cupid. He hadn't dug deep enough to recognize it was still Cole who held the key to her heart and probably always would.

Cole kept staring into the void. "She hates me. She was only shocked to see me. Don't fuss too much about it."

"Do you love her?" Coop queried fighting down his own pride asking this and silently cursed that he couldn't read the demon's feelings on a distance.

Cole pondered an answer, not answering for some time, sipping on his drink. Who was this Cupid to pry into his feelings like that? "No…," but after a few moments he amended with a constricted voice, "not anymore".

"Why did you kiss her then?" Coop asked incredulously, not leaving Cole off the hook. He prepared himself for the answer as he emptied his glass hurriedly.

"I wanted to hurt her," Cole admitted bitterly, "Let her feel some of her own medicine."

He had hoped it would make him feel better to see her in some pain finally but clearly it didn't. "I'm not sorry for it."

Cole wasn't honest to Coop about his feelings. He wasn't sorry about kissing Phoebe. He had lost himself in her soft lips for that perfect moment. Her scent filling his nostrils and sending him back to a time when he thought love conquered all. He had ripped himself rather brutally from this daydream.

"Congrats, you managed not only to hurt her, but me too by the way, not to mention yourself."

"Me?" Cole turned frowning to Coop, "why do you think this changed anything for me?"

"Because I felt your pain, when we were fighting..," Coop's voice trailed of, studying the man besides him. He still couldn't figure him out.

"I'm used to it," Cole shrugged casually. "It's like a chronic illness. You learn to live with it. Nothing to freak out about, Cupid."

Cole refused to call Coop by his name. He wasn't his friend. He couldn't be. Coop was Phoebe's husband. Coop had the only thing Cole had ever wanted. The one thing he couldn't get despite his huge magical powers.

"If you say so," Coop turned his attention back to his glass. Turner wasn't fooling him. If the demon still felt this huge heartbreak there had to be some love too.

Cole played with the glass in his hand. The alcohol was slowly but surely doing its work. The pain squeezing his heart in a merciless grip started to lighten a little.

"She will forgive you," he threw a sop to Coop. "She loves you. She wouldn't have fought me the way she did if she didn't."

Cole didn't mean the fight with their fists. Phoebe had fought against his kiss with fervour before succumbing to him. Cole was still thunderstruck that Phoebe had allowed herself the weakness to respond to him.

Coops' eyes grew wide amazed by Cole's statement. "Are you telling me to go back to her?" Coop wondered for a moment who the Cupid was in their conversation.

"You both have a chance, "Cole continued, hating every word he said and working hard to let his voice sound even, "She and I were doomed from the start. We never had a fighting chance and..."

Suddenly Cole was pulled backwards forcefully causing his glass to hit the floor and smash to pieces. Coop spun around facing the biker gang from before. They had snuck up on them from behind.

Two of the guys had a strong grip on Cole's arms, a third quickly placed some fierce punches in Cole's face and abdomen. Cole was held down to take the beating while he stared groggily at them. The guy with the broken nose stepped forward, signalling his buddy to stop. He looked at Cole's already bruised face and split lip gloatingly. "Told ya I'd trash your face!"

He lifted his fists in front of Cole's eyes revealing brass knuckles on each hand smiling hideously. He would make that arrogant asshole plead with him to stop.

"Go ahead!" Cole spat mockingly, spitting some blood from his mouth at the biker. Instantly the men hit Cole directly in the face, tearing up the skin on Cole's cheek.

"I'll teach you how to talk to me!" he grunted, backhanding Cole again, before administering a bone cracking blow to Cole's kidneys.

Cole cringed in pain, his body slumping down. That's when the men let go of him. He slipped to the ground into a kneeling position supporting himself with one hand. He was panting heavily and his stomach churned. He felt sick. From the drinking or the blows, he didn't care. Blood was coming from his nose, mouth and the lacerations on his face.

Before he could catch his breath, he was kicked in his side several times. He felt his rips crack and moaned in pain. For a moment Cole lifted his weary eyes to Coop. The Cupid was standing at the bar watching the scene aghast. Coop knew that Cole was capable of handling these attackers. But instead of fighting back he took it all.

"Your buddy is a real wimp!" the biker with the broken nose roared. "Wouldn't move a finger to help you!"

Saying that he kicked Cole again in his side, making him double over in pain as his broken ribs were hit again. Cole fell hard on his side and rolled onto his back, defiantly starring up at the men surrounding him. He didn't care about his torn suit or bruised body because temporarily the pain in his body overcame the one in his soul. Cole felt the relief flood his being and started laughing. It was a desperate and not totally sane sound interrupted by coughs that spilled blood from his mouth. The bikers looked down at their beaten victim with blank looks on their faces.

"He is a nutcase," one of them stated. "Let him go Billy. You got your revenge!"

"I wanna hear him scream!" Billy retorted nastily. His offended ego needed more blood to be satisfied.

Cole glanced at Coop again and frowned. The Cupids face was ashen with a look of total horror on his face. He hurriedly put some money on the counter.

"Hey Cupid!" Cole called to him. "What's wrong, don't like my company anymore?"

Coop hurried past Cole towards the exit, his eyes wide and frightened. Passing by he yelled something towards Cole but Cole only understood one word. It was enough to make him scramble to his feet instantly.

Phoebe.

That word mixed with the look on the Cupid's face made Cole's heart constrict in his chest. He sobered almost instantly. They had left Phoebe at his flat. Alone in a flat demons visited regularly seeking out Cole to kill or hire him.

"Shit!" Cole swayed and turned to go after Coop. He found himself crashing right into the bikers blocking his path. "I need to go," he threatened through clenched teeth, "Let me go and I won't hurt you."

"You go when I say you go!" Billy snarled, trying to land another punch at Cole.

This time he wasn't lucky. Cole knocked him down, sending him against a wall some meters away, not holding back his demonic strength. The other men backed off not wanting a fight with the mad stranger. Cole didn't hesitate and hastened out after Coop, looking for the Cupid, and blurring away as soon as he was out of the pub.

**tbc**


	3. Falling

**Falling **

**A/N:** Many Thanks to all my dear reviewers for you thoughts and encouragement. I'm glad you liked the continuation. With this chapter I really hope to take you by surprise by the turn of the events. Let me know if it worked . ;-)

_Lyrics from the "Linkin Park" song "In the End" are in italics. _They are not mine of course, I just use them because they fit so perfectly to Phoebe's mood.

--------------

While Phoebe pressed the button of the elevator, tears blurred her sight as the doors began to close.

_It starts with one thing  
I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try keep that in mind  
I designed this rhyme  
To explain in due time_

This scene reminded her painfully of the times she had run out on Cole in the past like when she had been pregnant. Other times Phoebe recalled was when she had discovered Cole was a demon again or when he had killed the vile property agent in her favour.

_All I know  
Time is a valuable thing  
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings  
Watch it count down to the end of the day  
The clock ticks life away  
_

This time he wasn't eagerly waiting behind the closed doors for her to change her mind. This time he had left her- for good. Phoebe was sure of it. Cole wasn't someone who changed his mind. She knew him well enough. He hadn't given up on her for the longest time despite it all. Cole would hold on to his aversion with the same force.

_It's so unreal  
Didn't look out below  
Watch the time go right out the window  
Trying to hold on, but didn't even know  
Wasted it all just to watch you go  
_

For the first time Phoebe had a rough idea how Cole must have felt back then. The feeling of abandonment, the huge throbbing void her heart had turned into. The loss of confidence, the anticlimax of all hopes, the wish to end it once and for all were all feelings that made her feel sick about herself. She had been a cold-hearted bitch towards him.

_I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart  
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when  
_

Obviously Cole hated her so much he would not even be in the same room with her. Well, she deserved it. She couldn't expect him to be her dark prince in shining armour anymore. But somehow she still had. The moment she had realized it was really him, she had boldly and naturally expected him to declare his love for her again. Boy, was she wrong.

_I tried so hard  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
I had to fall  
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
_

Phoebe swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. The tears were now freely running down her cheeks.

_One thing, I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try, keep that in mind  
I designed this rhyme, to remind myself how  
I tried so hard  
_

On top of that Coop, her husband and saving grace from a life of loneliness had turned is back on her too. He had picked up her broken pieces and had remade her with his love. He was gentle, patient and caring. Phoebe couldn't have handled another firework like Cole at that time. Their marriage had run smoothly. Not the very high ups she had had with Cole, but certainly also not the very low downs.

_In spite of the way you were mocking me  
Acting like I was part of your property  
Remembering all the times you fought with me  
I'm surprised it got so (far)  
_

Some typical marriage bickering, some not-so-typical magical misgivings, but apart from that she had been considerably content. Now this was also gone. It was her second chance at a happy life. Just blown like that, without a warning, without a reason, without her doing anything wrong.

_Things aren't the way they were before  
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore  
Not that you knew me back then  
But it all comes back to me (in the end)  
_

Phoebe wondered how Coop and Cole had met. It had looked like Cole attacked Coop. She wondered why. Was it because of her? Had Cole wanted to kill Coop because he was with her? It seemed she only brought misery to the men who fell for her. Phoebe bit her lip, hard. She didn't feel the pain but tasted the metallic taste of blood on her tongue.

_You kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart  
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I  
_

The elevator stopped with a ding and the doors slipped open. Phoebe stumbled out, supporting her trembling self on a wall and found herself on top of the building. Obviously in her crying numbness she had pushed the wrong button.

Phoebe walked shakily over to the balustrade and gripped it, as it was the only thing keeping her from slumping down on the floor in a crying heap.

The sight was dazzling. Tall skyscrapers surrounded a horizon glowing in the red, orange flames of the nearing dusk. No noise from the streets made it up here. It was quiet creating a calm and serene beauty, sharply contrasting the thundering turmoil of her feelings.

_I tried so hard  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
_

She took a deep breath and watched the skyline, blinking some tears away. She hadn't wasted a second to think about where she was. Coop had been in pain and she had used a newly-acquired spell to bring herself to him. Coop's well-being was the only thing on her mind, until she saw HIM.

Cole. Bold, arrogant and as devilishly handsome in his black garments as a man could possibly get. Phoebe's nemesis had come back to haunt her, demanding reparation for the lack of humanity she had shown towards him. It was the only valid currency for payment being in her own pain. Phoebe dug her fingernails into her palms unconsciously. A misdirected flashlight flickering over her face drew her attention back to the city below her.

New York City.

It was the city of her untroubled and untamed youth. The girl she had been was long lost along the way of becoming a powerful charmed witch. Phoebe envied that girl. She was naïve, but hearty, spontaneous and trustful, not caring about anything beyond tomorrow, commitments or evil. That girl had been free, a real free spirit. Phoebe was only responsible for herself. Not for sisters, innocents or the greater good.

Phoebe wished to be that person again. A sad expression crossed her face. No one could turn back time. She remembered Prue dying. She still felt guilty. Hadn't she gone to get back Cole from the underworld, Prue would still be alive. Cole was her world back then.

The wind blew some hair in her face and she brushed it away with a trembling hand, smearing some blood from her palm on her cheeks.

Phoebe envisioned the face of an old, bitter woman before her inner eye. Her old self she had called back from the future to ask her to marry or not marry Cole. She was on the road becoming exactly this world-weary crone, she felt it. She had given up on Cole barely surviving it. But it had seemed the only way to rescue herself. In the end it appeared she couldn't rescue herself from this fate anyway. She just wasn't strong enough.

_I had to fall  
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
_

Without first Drake and then Coop coming to her life she would have given up right then. Coop made her believe in love and life again. He had helped her believe that all this suffering was worth it. Now Coop was gone too, not even willing to fight for their love. Cope had thrown his vows in her face. "What about the bad times," Phoebe cried, asking herself, "To stand by me in the bad times?"

_I've put my trust in you  
Pushed as far as I can go  
And for all this  
There's only one thing you should know _

With clammy hands, Phoebe climbed on the balustrade and let her feet dangle below the abyss. It gave her the distinct feeling of freedom. The wind gained momentum and pulled at her clothes, ripping the tears from her eyes and scattering them over the city. Phoebe gripped the handrail tighter, leaning forward and looking down onto the streets below.

The people on the streets were as small as ants. They ran about their business, never knowing about her giving up everything to save their world again and again. They got to live their happy and undisturbed little lives, never doing anything for it. It wasn't fair Phoebe thought defeated. It had never been fair. She lifted her eyes to the almost dark sky, admiring some spectacular cloudscapes.

"I can't take it anymore, I'm sorry," Phoebe apologized to the sky, "I just can't!"

Maybe someone up there finally had pity on her. She waited for the longest time with hardly a beating heart for any kind of response. But her silent prayer stayed unanswered just the wind howling stronger like laughing at her for her absurd hope. She was just not worth an answer.

_I've put my trust in you  
Pushed as far as I can go  
And for all this  
There's only one thing you should know_

Phoebe lowered her eyes ashamed for her failure, her weakness. Prue had expected so much more of her, and Grams too. She could never live up to their expectations, or that of the Elders, her sisters, or Coop's. Or Cole's for that matter.

_I tried so hard  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
_

In slow motion Phoebe let go of the handrail. Why keep fighting when she was bound to lose in the end anyway? Hugging herself with her arms, she let her eyes travel over the dark city one last time. She loved this city. Ironic that it was just beautifully fitting that this would be her last view. Phoebe needed to be free again. She jumped.

_I had to fall  
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
_

----------------------

Tbc


	4. The answer to all questions

**The Answer to all questions**

Cole blurred in right next to Coop. He looked around with an astonished expression on his face. He was on the rooftop of the building he had his flat in. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded from Coop.

Coop was bent over the balustrade and jerked up at Cole's voice. "She jumped!" he cried, "I almost got to her, but she jumped!" Coop panicked shaken to the core. "You have to get her, now!"

In reaction of Cole's blank look, Coop jumped forward. He gripped Cole at his lapels, shaking him violently and shouting with a voice on the brink of breaking. "Get her! Get her!" The Cupids face contorted with terror.

Cole broke free, thunderstruck at what the Cupid told him. Without daring to look over the balustrade into the abyss he desperately set his senses on Phoebe, trying to summon her to him. He clenched his jaw in concentration, closing his eyes to shut out any distraction. He hadn't tried to make a connection to her for years. Not since he had summoned her as a mermaid. His heart was racing like it would jump out of his chest at any moment. He held his breath, not even allowing himself this small energy go to waste on something else than her. He spread his arms, reiterating her name like a mantra in his mind, calling for her with every ounce of his being.

Only a split second later, which felt like a cruel eternity for Cole, Phoebe appeared in his arms. He cradled her close to his chest; his arms shaking so much he was afraid he would drop her. For a sweet fleeting moment Cole allowed himself to revel in the feeling of having her close, feeling her fast heartbeat and shallow breath against his chest and imagined she was his.

He felt himself about to fall for her again. He couldn't do this to himself - not again. He had no faith left and Phoebe was not his anymore. The feelings he felt were just a painful illusion mocking him with something he could never have.

Pulling back Cole resorted to the one feeling he was most familiar with and the only feeling that had never betrayed him. It was the feeling that had kept him alive in he underworld as young demon and had made him demon of the century. The feeling that had kept himself together after Phoebe had abandoned him-rage.

Phoebe had her eyes solidly closed. She didn't want to see how she hit the ground. Her mind was playing incoherent scenes from her life, wondering if it would tell her something. Suddenly she felt the wind, which ripped the breath from her lips, stop. The eerie feeling of falling soon faded away.

"Am I dead?" she asked herself not daring to open her eyes. What if she was lying brokenly on the ground and her body was pumping adrenalin to make it bearable. She wouldn't want to see the pitiful faces of the passers-by looking down on her.

After a moment Phoebe noticed she wasn't lying on the ground. It felt like someone was holding her close. Strong arms supported her back and her legs. Phoebe shifted her head, which was comfortable against a broad shoulder, closer to the crook of the neck. Now Phoebe was sure she was either dead or her mind was playing a last trick on her. There was no way she could move after the impact you get jumping from the 50th storey.  
Phoebe didn't need to open her eyes to recognize the person holding her tight. She breathed in his scent deeply, absolutely content about where she was, finally feeling complete and at peace.

Coop saw Phoebe appear in Cole's arms and his knees almost bucked. Seeing Phoebe safe and sound took a heavy load off his mind. It was only his pride that held him up straight. He wouldn't want Turner to think he was a wimp.  
But he couldn't have been prepared for the onslaught of feelings that washed around him now. It was similar to the moment when Phoebe had kissed Turner but unequally stronger.

Coop blinked several times in disbelief. His wife was clinging to the demon who nuzzled his face into her hair. Both had their eyes closed, escaped into a reality not accessible for anybody else.

At that moment Coop's Cupid senses went off the Richter scale, shattering the shell of humanity he had built around his Cupid core to dust. As a Cupid he couldn't deny this feeling. It was every Cupid's higher calling. Coop had never felt it before, only envisioned how it would be. All Cupids dreamt of it and Coop had always had the feeling that he would be the one to experience it one day. But for the life of him he hadn't expected his wife being part of it.

The perfect match.

Two beings completing each other so perfectly it would literally be world-shattering. In this special case his world. What a cruel way of destiny to fulfil one of his heart's desires by mercilessly obliterating the other. Just when Coop was about to give himself completely over to the feeling, it diminished, like being afraid to be out in the open and shrinking back into the secret place it had leaked from.

"My personal heaven," Phoebe murmured to herself, her arm sneaking up and wrapping itself around Cole's neck. If afterlife continued to be this way, she was well off compared to actually living. Just when Phoebe was about to let herself fall completely in the loving embrace, a roar ripped her from her sweet dream.

"Have you lost your mind!"

Startled, Phoebe's eyes fluttered open. She found herself starring right into Cole's fierce stare. His blues blazing. She had never seen him so pissed. His face clearly didn't match the cosy feeling she had felt. She withdrew her arm quickly from his neck.

"Maybe this is purgatory?" Phoebe frowned looking at Cole confused. She recalled a priest telling her that suicides didn't go to heaven. "It was too good to be true anyway."

"How could you do that?" Cole roared again, but pressed her body to his nonetheless. "After all the times I busted my ass protecting you, you just jump of a damn rooftop!"

"Shut up and stop shouting! She doesn't need that right now." A stern voice reprimanded Cole. Phoebe became aware that Coop was also very close looking down on her, a worn out expression on his face.

"Phoebe, "he addressed her softly, his hand reaching to caress her face, "nothing is worth throwing your life away for it."

"You are here too?" Phoebe asked not getting a hang on things.

"I felt you ….giving up on yourself," Coop pressed out, putting a strand of her hair behind her ear tenderly. "I came as soon as possible but you jumped just before I could reach you…". his voice trailed off.

"That means I'm dead… right? " Phoebe replied while squinting her eyes. "And you two," she continued as she shot a glance at Cole, who still looked as mad as hell, "Are the visitation for my sins. Great."

"You are alive, "Cole growled, "I got you just before you spread yourself all over the pavement."

"Oh …then …you don't hate me that much?" Phoebe asked in her little girl voice, looking at him her big brown eyes glistening.

Cole starred down at her again. He wouldn't allow her dragging him back to the state where he went mad over the pain of losing her. Better to keep his feelings on a very tight leash. It was bad enough the Cupid had seen him almost break down with relief the moment Phoebe had appeared in his arms.

"We should get her down from this roof," Coop interjected, breaking the tension that started building when Cole refused to answer.

"Right," Cole agreed. "Let's go back to my apartment. The windows are locked so she can't try again."

"Hey don't I get a say in this?" Phoebe complained, wriggling in Cole's arms.

"No!" both men thundered in unison.

"Not since you are officially certifiably insane!" Cole rebuked.

"Smart-ass lawyer," Phoebe muttered under her breath.

Appearing in Cole's apartment Cole stepped forward shoving Phoebe in Coop's arms. "You handle her, she is your wife!"

Cole had made his decision. It was better she stayed with the Cupid. At least she would be happy. Like he had told Coop before, he had gotten used to the loveless life he was living. He couldn't forgive her for letting him down. It was like he had been drowning and she had stood at the waters edge, holding the life buoy in her hand, but not throwing it at him, watching him sink deeper into the dark depth.

He turned and sauntered over to the large French windows. He crossed his arms over his chest and turned his back on them, looking out over the city. He couldn't bear to see them cuddle.

Coop was bewildered for a moment but then put Phoebe down gently. She came to stand right in front of him. They gazed in each others eyes for a moment before he took her in his arms gently, hugging her close.

Phoebe answered his hug, enjoying the warmth and consolation he was offering. But she couldn't help herself, looking over his shoulder at Cole, who stood at the window.

"Wanna sit down?" Coop offered.

"Oh…yes," Phoebe noticed that her knees were very weak. Coop held her arm and helped her settle on Cole's red leather couch. "Thank you," she said genuinely to her husband.

Coop settled besides her, holding her hand in his. "You are freezing," he discovered and Phoebe gave a small embarrassed smile. She had been sitting at the rooftop in her thin clothes for quite some time.

"Cole," It was the first time Coop called him by his first name, "Could you arrange for something warm to drink? I wouldn't want to lose her to pneumonia now."

Cole slowly turned his head, looking sceptical at the Cupid. Phoebe fully expected Cole to blow at Coop for his request but he just shrugged, "Sure".

In a brisk pace he headed out of the room, glad to have an excuse for not watching the reunion of the couple.

Alone in Cole's living room Coop took heart. "Phoebe, I'm awfully sorry I let you down like this….. I was so egoistical, just thinking about my own pain …but I was so hurt….and," Coop searched for the right words, "It hit me without a warning. I thought we were meant to be." He looked at Phoebe with a pleading smile, "And then to discover we weren't…..it's just….I ……never saw this coming."

"But we are Coop, "Phoebe objected, "WE are meant to be…it can never work between Cole and I…," she looked down at her hand intertwined with Coops', his ring still on her finger, "But it works for US…..it worked for the last years."

She smiled at her husband lovingly and stroked his cheek lightly. "I love you Coop. Thanks for coming back to me."

"I love you too Phoebe," Coop's voice was very throaty as he leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips, to which she responded wholeheartedly.

It was balm on his wounded heart to hear her say these words. Phoebe meant it; Coop knew she didn't lie to him. But at the same time he knew she loved Cole too. And that she was afraid to concede to her love for Cole because she had no control over it.

Cole cleared his throat coming in with a tea tray. "Do you mind proceeding with this at your own home," he said dryly. Nothing in his appearance gave away the fact that he was dying inside seeing Phoebe with Coop like this.

Coop instantly pulled back from Phoebe who looked uneasy.

"Thanks for making tea, "Phoebe said meekly, feeling like being caught red-handed though she kissed her own husband.

Cole put the tray down on the couch table and sat down opposite them. "Feeling better?" he asked studying her.

He had had time to calm himself down in the kitchen. He could slap himself for rounding upon Phoebe like he had before. Coop was right. That wasn't what Phoebe needed. HE wasn't what Phoebe needed.

"Yeah, "Phoebe agreed, sending both men a small smile, "Thanks to you two!" She turned her gaze to Cole, locking eyes with him. "And special thanks to you for being my saviour-again." She rolled her eyes with exaggeration. "Seems I can't do without."

"Anytime," Cole answered softly before he could stop himself. He looked sheepishly at Phoebe for his slip of emotion.

Coop kept quiet, pouring everyone a cup of tea.

Phoebe took her cup in her hands, enjoying the warmth it brought to her clammy fingers. For a moment she looked down, studying the pattern of the Chinese tea cup. Her heart was heavy but there was no point in putting it off longer. She and Coop had to leave.

She lifted her eyes looking at Cole again. He wasn't drinking any of his tea. He sat back in the leather seat with his hands on the armrests, his glance glued to her. He tried to look undisturbed but Phoebe knew better. She knew the vein that would bulge out on his temple when he was restraining himself- like now. Her glance caressed his face, silently saying goodbye to him, memorizing his face for all eternity.

And for the first time she noticed his bruises. It was a welcome topic to delay the inevitable for some seconds more. "What happened to you?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"Nothing, "Cole appeased, "run into a row, that's all."

"Demons?" she asked perking up. She cursed him under her breath. Why was he always so short spoken? Her time with him was running through her fingers like the sand in an hourglass.

"Nah.. Only some rowdies." Cole's glance shifted to Coop warning him to not tell Phoebe just how he had gotten into the punch-up.

Phoebe put the cup on the table and got up. "We have to leave," she announced. She felt like bursting into tears any second. She couldn't do that to Coop, not again.

Both men stood up following Phoebe's lead. Coop looked surprised while Cole's face was expressionless. Cole was merely holding it together. The quicker Phoebe left the better. He couldn't hold up the pretences much longer.

"You can't part like this," Coop spoke up and earned two bewildered looks. "You should at least bid a proper farewell."

He ushered Phoebe around the couch table stopping in front of Cole, who looked at Coop suspiciously, pursing his lips. "What's that about?"

"I figured you both need to find closure. Without one or the other is going to find himself on a rooftop or in a row again not so far in the future. I want to avoid this." Coop lied, looking meaningful at Phoebe before shifting his glance back to Cole. He needed to take both by surprise; he knew otherwise they would jeopardize his plan.

"Asshole," Cole thought, squinting his eyes. He had to put a good face on the matter. He didn't want Coop to tell Phoebe of his ways of dealing with his heartache.

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea, "Phoebe conceded searching out Coops' eyes. She was not convinced and unsure what kind of farewell Coop expected her to give to Cole- certainly not a kiss. Phoebe took a step forward, right in front of Cole and took both of his hands in hers with a forced smile. If only it wouldn't hurt so badly to leave him behind.

"I'm sorry we didn't get our happily ever after Cole, I really am." She looked at him with all the love she had for him, baring her soul. "I tried as hard as I could but..." She was blinking rapidly to keep her eyes from overflowing with tears.

Cole silenced her by putting his index finger on her lips. "Don't. …..Don't let it pull you down. Be happy Phoebe, for me… please…. In remembrance of what we had….. I couldn't stand you forfeiting your happiness because of me….That's all I ask. Can you do that for me?" Cole's voice trailed of, chocked with emotion.

Phoebe nodded fighting back her tears, grabbing Cole's hand before he could pull it away, kissing the back of his hand. Her lips were like a feather passing over his skin sending a shiver down his spine. Cole started forward to take her face in his hands but stopped instantly, embarrassed, when he felt Coop's hand on his shoulder.

Coop wrapped his other arm around Phoebe's waist, pulling her close. "I'll miss you love," he whispered into Phoebe's ear and she looked at him puzzled, but still holding Cole's hand in hers.

"Coop," she breathed, feeling guilty for displaying her affection for Cole that much in front of Coop and not understanding a thing her husband was doing.

Coop closed his eyes and let the love pour out of him. He finally understood why he had been sent to Phoebe. He had a part in this the great love, just not the one he expected before. Coop's body started to glow from within, a transcendental golden shimmer slowly increasing until it got so bright that Phoebe had to close her eyes.

"Coop," she cried in a hushed voice, "what are you doing?"

Cole shielded his eyes with one hand, but held on to Phoebe, still feeling Coop's hand on his shoulder. "Cupid, stop whatever you think your doing."

Suddenly a flash of lightning lit up the apartment and then the brightness was gone. Slowly, carefully Phoebe opened her eyes looking around.

"Where is he?" Cole asked turning his head in any direction.

"He is gone," Phoebe whispered in a flustered tone.

"Where to?" Cole asked. "I thought he'd take you with him." He cocked an eyebrow.

Phoebe shook her head. "He won't come back Cole, "Phoebe continued a sad note in her voice, "He said goodbye to me in my mind."

Cole frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Phoebe looked down at her hand still holding Cole's. She squeezed it, bringing Cole's attention to it.

"Sorry, "Cole said sheepishly pulling his hand back, "I forgot."

"Don't," Phoebe held onto Cole's hand, looking at him expectantly, "Coop said he….. healed us."

Phoebe hesitated a moment before asking the hardest question of all. "What do you feel for me Cole? Please be honest. I promise I won't jump from a house again." Phoebe tried to joke to lighten the tension between them.

"Phoebe," Cole pleaded, trying to evade her question, not wanting to hurt her with his answer, "Coop will be back….this makes no sense." He tried to back away from her but Phoebe didn't let him go.

"Cole, please, "Phoebe begged. "Coop gave himself up for healing us. Please Cole, give us a chance, and don't let his sacrifice be in vain. Listen to your heart. Do you still despise me?"

Cole exhaled deeply, slowly gathering the courage to oblige to her plea. He searched his heart for the aversion and mistrust that had settled in him for the longest time, overshadowing, bedraggling and disfiguring his once genuine love for her. He found the shadow had magically disappeared. Reviving an immaculate sparkling fountain of affection and tenderness in his heart, that was his love for Phoebe.

"How?" he breathed amazed, pulling her close feeling totally in awe for the Cupid's handiwork.

"Coop was the best Cupid ever," Phoebe sobbed, clinging to Cole.

"Honey, "Cole wiped the tears from her cheeks tenderly, "Don't cry anymore. You had more than your fair share of it today. Whatever Coop did," and Cole used the Cupids' first name for the first time. "He did it because he felt it was the right thing to do. It was his decision and you can't change that."

He guided her back to the couch, gently seating her down and gathering her in his arms. Phoebe buried her face in the crook of his neck, slowly regaining her composure. How could she be perfectly happy and feel guilty at the same time? Guilty that she was sharing these feelings with Cole and not with Coop.

"Promise me you don't walk away again," Phoebe bent her head back and looked at Cole, her face almost touching his.

"Promise me you won't kill me again," Cole whispered in her face.

"Promise!" Phoebe swore overcoming the small space that separated their lips.

-------------------------

**The Goddess of Love**

Aphrodite put the mirror, showing her the realm of the humans, specifically Cole's flat at the moment, down, when things between Cole and Phoebe heated up. She looked at the Cupid who stood in front of her, with his shoulders hanging down. She could almost see the heartache pouring out of him.

"You did well," she praised. "I doubted for some time that you would complete your mission…but you succeeded in the end. That's all that matters to me."

"Thank you my lady," Coop said respectfully. "I thought I did the right thing in marrying her. The Elders were all for it and since you didn't intervene I thought I was acting in your interest too."

"The Elders don't know a thing about love," Aphrodite huffed, "They are so overanxious of their precious Charmed Ones, forgetting that those are humans who need love like anyone else. For you, you got sidetracked by your own feelings Coop," Aphrodite scolded, "Don't sugar coat it. It's somehow understandably around an endearing woman like Phoebe. But if you are honest, you knew you weren't acting in HER best interest. That's why you finally went and searched for HIM."

"I thought YOU implanted this idea in my head," Coop raised tortured eyes to his mistress, "to make me pay for my disobedience."

"I didn't," Aphrodite shook her head gracefully, golden locks whirling around her shoulders, "It was your consciousness that couldn't bear denying Phoebe the love of her life, the soul mate she is meant to be with."

"Why did you save me?" Coop accused her, changing the subject. Talking about Phoebe only hurt him. "Couldn't you just let me fade away? I can't exist with this pain in my heart. I'm not a demon," he said sarcastically.

"Cole Turner impressed you, didn't he?" Aphrodite laughed, her laugh sounding like dancing water drops. "Me too. That's why I sent you to her. Only you and Phoebe could heal his heart."

She stepped down from her throne and laid her hand on his shoulder. "You made me proud Coop; you deserve to be in my direct service."

"What do you mean?" Coop asked dropping down on one knee in front of the goddess of love.

Aphrodite caressed his cheek and tipped his chin to make him look at her. "Your pain will no longer torture you," she promised as she bent down and planted a kiss on his forehead.

Coop looked at her deeply grateful, fully aware of what she had done, "Thank you."

"I just did to you, what you did to them. You will keep your memories, but they won't hurt you anymore. You can cherish them in your heart forever. Never regret loving Coop, it's the most important thing there is. Now to the job. I need Cupids who have experienced love first hand. Cupids who have proven to stick to the job even in hard times."

"I understand," Coop tilted his head.

"You come with me; I'll introduce you to someone, a legend. Deterius."

"The Cupid in charge of Romeo and Juliet?" Coop gasped.

"That's the one," Aphrodite chuckled, "So you've heard of him?"

"Of course," Coop scrambled to his feet, following Aphrodite through the hallway. "But I thought he failed? I mean they killed themselves in the end."

"Sometimes evil wins, "Aphrodite sighed. "Deterius had Romeo and Juliet all prepped up for heading into the sunset for good but evil interfered, intercepting the vital information of Juliet not being dead to Romeo and it all ended in tears. I'm glad you didn't let evil win this time, Coop. You were stronger than to give into your selfish feelings."

"I'm glad too," Coop smiled a genuine smile.

He had managed to save an epic love and he had gained some vital lessons on love along with precious memories of Phoebe. He followed the mistress of all things loveable into her beautiful garden, looking forward to the destiny that still awaited him.

The End (first try)

--------------------------------

**A/N:** I'm happy with this ending, what do you think?  
At first I wanted to kill Phoebe off. I know I do this regularly in my stories - but I had a soft day.  
Your reviews are vey much appreciated!! Thx!

On second thought, I wrote a second ending for this story!  
I will put it up soon and hope you will have a look at it too and tell me which ending you like better THIS one or the other.  
So don't forget to come back to look for the second one.


	5. Alternate Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thank you so much for your great reviews! I really appreciate your thoughts and feedback.

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This is an alternate Version of Chapter 4.  
It reveals what happens if Cole and Coop can't rescue Phoebe.

**BIG WARNING!** Includes main character deaths and violence!  
**Rated T** just to be on the safe side. I guess I kind of went on a rampage with this.

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**The end of days**

It was a bright and warm summer day. Everyone in San Francisco was down at the beach, sunbathing and having a good time, enjoying life to the fullest. Only the ones that knew Phoebe Halliwell didn't join the happy parade. It was the day of her funeral.

Her sisters had her body shipped from New York home to San Francisco. It had taken some time because of the police investigations that had taken place. Darrel had pulled all strings possible to speed up the procedures. In the end it was official that Phoebe had departed life at her own will.

She would be buried next to her sister Prue. The church overflowed with flowers from friends, co-workers, readers and admirers. Piper tried to have a small, private funeral, but with Phoebe's degree of popularity in the city, it wasn't going to happen. The alabaster white casket stayed closed, since Phoebe's remains were not a sight suitable for the public.

Piper, Paige, Leo and the kids were the first ones to arrive. Paige, with a stony expression on her whiter than usual face, talked quietly to the Wicca priestess who would perform the service.

Piper, clad in a black outfit, sat stiffly in the first row, each arm around one of her boys. The children did not fully understand yet that their aunt Phoebe would never return, but were infected by the mournful mood in the household. Hushed and looking around with big eyes they pressed themselves into their mother's side, displaying no sign of their normal liveliness. Piper had turned down every suggestion from Leo to leave them with friends. Phoebe had taken the power of three with her and Piper felt safe nowhere. She wouldn't leave her kids out of her sight for even just for a second.

Leo, wearing a dark suit, was crouched in front of Piper, patting her knees gently. He felt his wife's tension and glanced at her with a worried look on his face. Phoebe's death had shaken Piper just as much if not more than Prue's.

Prue had died fighting evil, but Phoebe had ended her life on her own. Piper felt like it was her fault. Not having picked up on Phoebe's self doubts and seemingly still raging guilt over the way she had parted with Cole. Of course Coop had told the family about what happened but still they couldn't figure out what had made Phoebe jump from the rooftop.

Leo felt a red hot anger at Cole burn inside him and he pressed his lips together in a thin line. For a white lighter it was a forbidden feeling but he was human now. He didn't want or need to suppress this feeling therefore.

Again Cole had brought so much pain to his family. Would Cole ever stop inflicting mayhem over them? Cole Turner was the bane of their lives. He cursed the demon for what had to be the thousandth time in the last week, when he looked at the remote expression on his wife's face. He wondered if his family would ever recover from this.

"How dare you!" Paige's shrill shrieked echoed through the church.

Leo tore his glance from his distressed wife curious to see what upset Paige, while Piper kept staring into the void, like she hadn't heard at all. Leo craned his neck to follow Paige's disbelieving stare towards the entrance of the building.

Cole Turner was walking down the aisle slowly. Dark sunglasses were covering his eyes, his face an emotionless mask. He was in a dark suit as usual, wearing a black dress shirt too. He swayed just a little and his face obviously hadn't met a razor for days. Despite his expensive clothes he looked ragged and gruff.

Paige started forward briskly, leaving the priestess behind her open mouthed, and blocked Cole's path, her hands on her hips. "How dare you come here!" she hissed, pushing him back with her hands forcefully, "YOU are the reason for all this." She motioned towards Phoebe's casket. Enraged she pummelled his chest again, hard. "What did you do to her this time, you monster!"

"Take your hands off me- now!" Cole demanded quietly, hardly tolerating Paige's onslaught. The threat in his voice was evident.

"Or what?" Paige challenged with a crack in her voice, "You attacking me or killing me? Why not wipe us out all at once? Why kill us in bits- to make us suffer more?"

"Don't tempt me," Cole growled, catching her wrists roughly and making her wince.

"Damn Asshole, this is a family affair! You have no right to be here. You have no right to mourn her! Your fucking attitude drove her right into suicide!" Paige snapped at him but pulled her arms back causing Cole to let her go. Despite her emotional turmoil, there was a careful voice in her mind, telling her she shouldn't push him further. Rubbing her aching wrists she let him pass her by, her hateful eyes following him. "You will pay for this," she muttered under her breath.

Cole walked up to the front, ignoring Paige's comment and the other people around as he stepped up to Phoebe's casket. The priestess frowned at the hostility displayed between the family members.

Leo stood and turned towards Cole, leaving his place at Piper's side. "You are not welcome, "he bit out through clenched teeth. Piper was already suffering enough, without Cole rubbing the reason for it into her face.

Cole ignored him, and with a sigh he gently put a hand on the white coffin.

Leo started forward pulling Cole away from Phoebe's casket. "Don't you touch her and act so devastated! It's your fault she did this!" Leo had barely touched Cole's shoulder with his hands, when the demon whirled around and grabbed him on the neck, strangling him.

"Don't touch me! Don't talk to me! Or I may feel the need to snap your neck to make you shut up!" Cole emphasized his threat by squeezing Leo's throat a little harder.

"Leo! Cole! Stop!" Piper jumped up, startling her kids. "I won't have a fight at Phoebe's funeral!" she yelled with a casual wave of her hand, she froze the priestess.

"Tell this to him," Leo choked out, struggling with Cole's grip on his neck.

"I don't answer to your commands anymore, Piper, "Cole retorted nastily, still choking Leo.

"Well you'd better!," Paige murmured orbing a pricket at Cole, which hit him square over the head, cutting into his temple and drawing blood. More surprised than wounded Cole staggered back at Phoebe's coffin, releasing Leo, who threw himself back out of his opponents reach and supported himself against the wall, gasping for breath but starring daggers at Cole nonetheless.

"You have gone too far, bitch! "Cole rallied and with a quick motion of his hand aimed an energy ball directly at Paige. Piper instantly brought up her hands, freezing it in midair. "Stop this for Christ's sake!" she screamed with an edge in her voice, "We can't have another funeral!"

"Energy ball!" Paige cried out incensed, not listening to reason or Piper. Again Cole had tried to kill her. Without hesitation, she sent the energy ball straight back at him. Cole saw his own weapon coming back at him and leaped out of the way over Phoebe's coffin just in time, avoiding the shot by mere luck.

At this exact moment Coop hearted in, directly in the line of fire. "Coop, get down!" Paige yelled in a startled tone as Piper tried to freeze the hazardous energy ball again. Coop looked up with a blank look, not understanding what was going on. This time Piper was too slow and Coop got the energy ball right into his chest. He was thrown backwards with a dumbfounded expression on his face, knocking the still-frozen priestess over in the process. Both landed in a heap on the floor.

"Oh my God!" Paige came running, falling on her knees besides Coop. "Coop!" she called to him, shaking his body desperately as she slapped his face, "Coop, I'm so sorry! Please wake up!" She held her trembling hands over his still form calling to her healing power. Her hands started glowing for a moment but then went dark again.

"No," Paige whispered, "that can't be!" Shocked she could do nothing but watch as the Cupid slowly began to dissolve into thin air. "I…. I…killed him! "Paige sobbed, clutching her face in her hands, her shoulders heaving.

Cole struggled to his feet, searching for his shades. "Shit!" he cursed, when he found them broken into pieces on the floor. He dusted his clothes off and looked at the crowd on the floor and chuckled slightly. "Paige, Paige, you killed the Cupid. Bad girl!" He tilted his head a little frustrated, "Seems killing is your favourite way to get rid of your brother-in-law." Cole had planned to let the Cupid bleed for Phoebe's death. The guy was a Cupid. He had to know what was going on inside her. Something Cole had never really figured out.

"Shut up!" Piper bit towards Cole. In shock, she knelt next to her sister, pulling her into her arms. "It was an accident, Paige. You didn't want to hurt Coop!" Piper tried to soothe her sister seeing the anguish in her eyes.

"I killed him!" Paige whispered barely audible. "How could I do this? Am I evil now?"

"No, of course not Paige, you are not evil!" Piper assured and pulled a strand of hair behind Paige's ear, "It was an accident. It was a really bad coincidence that Coop shimmered in at this exact place and at this exact time. It's not your fault!"

"But he is dead, Piper! I took his life away!" Paige insisted in a flustered tone as tears streamed down her face. She never thought that she could kill someone who wasn't evil.

"At least the priestess is alright," Leo threw in, finishing his examination. "She is out cold from the hit but she will be alright. How do we explain this to her?" he asked shaking his head. The day had started off bad and was getting worse by the minute.

"We will think of something!" Piper interjected as she was suddenly forced to take control in this mess, even though she didn't feel up to it. "Paige, come with me and sit down. The first mourners will arrive soon." Piper led Paige to the chairs and sat down next to her, stroking her hand, while Paige shook from her sobs.

Leo took the unconscious priestess in his arms and carried her into the next room. He had to think of something to explain this to her.

The service was short but dignified. None of the family rose to speak. Cole sat in silence in the first row, but on the other end, as far away from the Halliwells as possible. The priestess didn't address the subject of the events, but she shot some very wary glances at the family in the first row. When the service finished she left the building like the devil himself was behind there. Leo couldn't blame her. He had been partly open with her about the events, leaving out Coops' death though. She was a witch after all and understood magic.

There was a mass of people who attended and a lot of them came up to condole with Paige and Piper. With patience, Piper and Paige were taking the condolences of the crowd. Many of Phoebe's colleagues of the Bay Mirror were there, even Jason. Of course there were also many people Paige and Piper did not know. The church finally cleared of most people, only three or four were left.

Out of the blue an energy ball hit Paige straight in the back. She was thrown forward and knocked into the seats of the front row, lying unconscious. Leo, who was standing to the side with the boys, startled for a moment but immediately shoved Christopher into his brother's arms. "Wyatt force field!" he ordered his son while Wyatt raised his shield with frightened eyes, grabbing his little brother tightly. Not a second later a demon appeared next to the kids throwing a silvery-colored powder on them but it bounced off Wyatt's shield with no visible effect.

Leo hurried over to Paige, checking her, and breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive. Cole raised his eyes in surprise as four demons shimmered in. Halliwell funerals were full of surprises he thought remembering Prue's funeral.

At the same moment the last mourner lounged forward and stabbed Piper right in the stomach, with a vicious stroke. With a yelp she fell to her knees, but not before she blew the attacker into dust. Piper clutched her bleeding midsection. "Leo, get the boys out!" she screamed trying to get to her feet.

"Not so fast!" one demon sneered, shimmering next to Leo, pulling him back. Leo struggled wildly against the demon's grip but had no chance against the demons supernatural strength. With a grim face he had to watch the fight, unable to help them.

Piper turned on the ground and tried to freeze the demon strangling her husband. "I can't freeze them!" she panted in shock. Since Phoebe's death she had feared that her powers would diminish. Now it seemed they were out of luck.

"Wyatt! Chris! Orb out of here, now!" she yelled at her kids, pressing her hands on her belly, trying to stop the blood loss. But the boys stood shell shocked, hugging each other, a look of terror on their faces. "Wyatt, orb to Grandpa!" Leo repeated Piper's order loudly. It was unusual that the kids didn't obey their parent's orders.

"Shut up!" the demon hissed, cutting Leo's throat in one fluid movement. Leo gasped and clutched his neck. He felt his life run through his fingers. He knew if Paige wasn't quick his life was over. A stertorous sound emanated from his mouth as he tried to say something with his eyes desperately focused on Piper.

Paige regained consciousness and saw the pool of blood below Piper's body as she started to crawl towards her on all fours. "Jesus Piper, don't move!"

"Leo first!" Piper insisted with a constricted voice. "Help, Leo!" An alarmed Paige turned and saw Leo slipping to the ground, his face pale and his eyes rolling back. She also spotted the gaping wound at his throat and the enormous amount of blood streaming down in torrents.

"No!" she gasped, starting to orb towards Leo.

"No healing today!" the third demon mocked and launched a fireball at Paige, who orbed out, avoiding it just in time. She came up behind the demon that had attacked her and pierced his heart with the pricket she had used on Cole before. "Bastard!" she hissed. Then suddenly she felt an unbearable heat in her back and everything went black for her.

"Paige!" Piper screamed out in agony as she watched her sister be incinerated to ashes by two colliding fireballs.

"Only you left," the fourth demon hissed turning to Piper, "and not for long!"

"Cole!" Piper cried out in desperation, "Help us, please!" The demons were closing in on her and she was crawling away, backing up against the wall, leaving a bloody trail behind.

"Cole!" Piper's voice was bloodcurdling.

The demons turned around and spotted the person sitting calmly at the other side of the row, watching the fight attentively but without interfering. Finally, Cole stood up slowly, hands in his pockets, approaching the demons casually. He let his glance wander over the ashes of Paige and Leo's twisted and bloody corpse and Piper's injured body and felt….nothing.

"Don't interfere Belthazor!" one of the demons warned, gripping his Athame tighter, "we don't want a fight with you."

"Cole, please, rescue my boys!" Piper pleaded weakly. She knew she had lost too much blood already to be healed without a white lighter. "Please, bring them to my father. If you ever felt anything for Phoebe or my family, protect the boys." Whimpering, she curled up on the floor, her breath becoming more and more ragged.

The demons waited impatiently for Cole's decision, their eyes trained on his unreadable face, ready to attack should he give any indication of joining the fight. They knew fighting Belthazor would be a much greater challenge than killing the distraught witches and former Charmed Ones.

"I was told this is a family matter," Cole said dryly, "and I was told I'm not part of it." He held Piper's pleading glance with hard eyes. He was way beyond caring for the Halliwells. The only Halliwell he ever cared for was lying dead in her casket. Phoebe's death had undone all ties he ever had to the Halliwell family. It didn't bother him that her sisters followed her suit. They never had had pity with him, so why should he have any with them.

"Good bye Piper," Cole turned around and started walking towards the exit.

The demons smirked at each other and turned back to Piper. Today was their lucky day.

"Cole, wait!" Piper cried after him, feeling weaker by the second. She knew she hadn't much time left. "Don't do this, please. Please Cole! Whatever we did to you, don't take it out on the boys. Cole I beg you!"

Desperate to buy her children some more time, she concentrated all power she had left and blew the demon closest to her up, trying to do the same with the next one coming, but she just slowed it down.

"Wyatt, Chris, I love you, never forget that," she breathed looking only straight at her children and not at her murderer, "Wyatt, protect your brother, promise me..." She didn't come any further as the demon quickly bent down and struck out, stabbing her directly in the heart. Piper took one last breath and then her glance, trained on her sons, froze for eternity.

Chris wailed louder, hanging onto his brother for dear life. Wyatt cried out in an insane mixture of anguish and rage. He was six but he understood some things. He understood what a demon was and that they had killed his family.

Cole, halfway down the way to the exit, turned around at the children's outcries, curious what the demons did.

Wyatt threw his hands out and finally broke the magic net that contained his powers. The demon standing over his mother busted into pieces so quickly he never had time to cry out his surprise. The other two hurried around trying to capture the enraged 6 year old again. Without losing a second one of them he threw out the magic net again but he exploded into pieces still the net settled on Wyatt.

The remaining demon looked daggers at the captured kids. The older one was much more powerful than their client had told them. That would raise the price enormously. "I'd better kill you, you are way too pesky!" He conjured a fireball in his hand.

A howling Wyatt struggled against the magic holding his powers captive again but brought up his own shield too. He couldn't do both at the same time, keeping his own and his brother's protection up and fighting the magical net that kept him from destroying this demon too.

Suddenly the demon caught fire. Disbelieving he looked at his burning body, trying to wipe out the flames with his hands. "How could you..."

"I changed my mind," Cole shrugged blurring in next to the burning demon and gave him a smug look. "Like to keep them for myself! They are quiet amusing, don't you think?"

"Damn Traitoooor," the last demon yelled in pain before he vanished neatly.

"So now, what should I do with you two, "Cole crouched down to his knees, facing the two shaken boys, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

Chris had been crying for so long he was almost fainting from exhaustion. Faintly he clutched to his brothers arm as his wails diminished to a soft whimpering. But Wyatt starred back hatefully at Cole, ready to fight. He was the big brother. He had to protect Chris like he had promised his mother.

"You need some pampering, little one, don't you," Cole said softly and waved a hand.

To Wyatt's horror his baby brother appeared in the demon's arms. Immediately he dropped his protection shield, which seemed useless against this demon anyway, and attacked Cole.

Cole felt Wyatt's power crack around him, tear at him and shook his head slightly. "You can't harm me Wyatt. You'd better accept that and stop. Like now!" Cole stood up cradling Chris to his chest ignoring but admiring the futile efforts of Chris' brother to hurt him.

Chris looked at the strange man with frightened eyes, wriggling in his arms and trying to orb back to his brother, but couldn't. The man was blocking his orb. At the same time Chris felt somehow this man meant no harm to him. He was so exhausted and confused and sad. He wanted his mommy. He stopped struggling and started to cry harder again calling for his mommy quietly, desperately, hopelessly.

"Shhh. It's ok. No one is hurting you. You are safe. I'll take good care of you," Cole cooed to the kid, trying to soothe him. He studied Piper's youngest son in more detail. Chris had intelligent, but now tear-stained blue eyes and Cole stroked his dark hair gently. His own son would have looked very much alike. This moment Cole decided to keep him.

He turned towards Wyatt. "Wyatt, I'll take your brother with me. You can come too, but no more attacking me. Or you will force me to punish you. Understood?"

Wyatt hissed at the demon, concentrating again as he frantically tried to orb his brother from the demon's arms, but to no avail.

"Wyatt, I told you, no magic against me!" Cole reprimanded him sternly and with a wave of his hand, sent Wyatt on his butt. Slowly he turned and started walking towards the exit, Chris firmly in his arms.

Wyatt sat there thunderstruck. The demon was taking his brother and he couldn't do anything against it. He hesitated for a second looking at the broken eyes of his mother, and her lifeless form against the wall. His glance shifted to his Dad. He was lying in a pool of his own blood. Aunt Paige's ashes. There was no family left besides Chris. He had to stay with him. Mom would have wanted it this way. Quickly he jumped to his feet and started running after Cole, falling into step beside the man, hanging his head low.

Cole smirked. He knew the boy wouldn't leave his little brother alone. It was such a Halliwell thing to do, to keep the family together. He stooped and looked down on Wyatt who answered his glance gloomily.

"We'll shimmer from here," Cole held out his free hand with no space for disagreement and Wyatt took it reluctantly.

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**Revenge**

Around 20 years in the future

Wyatt peeked into the dimly-lit throne room and grimaced in disgust. Cole was sprawled on the great black marble throne leisurely with his head leaning against the back of the throne, eyes closed. A seductress demoness knelt between his slightly spread legs obviously giving him oral pleasure. Of course Cole's minions had tried to stop Wyatt from entering their leader's lair, but they had no chance. Wyatt, kind of being the crown prince in the underworld, obliterated them with a simple twitch of his mind.

Cole wasn't the source this time. But over time he had become fed up with fighting demons all the time who thought they could claim the underworld's throne by killing the Halliwell boys. Cole finally took over the leadership of the underworld again, to stop the permanent onslaught. With the help of Wyatt and Chris he destroyed any demon who seemed strong enough to become Source. Because of this there hadn't been a Source for the last two decades and evil had experienced a big relapse. Cole couldn't care less about this effect of his doing.

"Old bastard, "Wyatt muttered under his breath and grinned maliciously. Cole, his antagonist of years, finally offered him the opportunity he had been waiting for the longest time. Wyatt stepped from the shadows right into view and approached his patron boldly. He wasn't embarrassed by disturbing Cole in a private moment. He enjoyed every opportunity to annoy him.

Cole's eyes snapped open as Wyatt approached. He had brought up the Halliwell brothers after the demise of their family. He would recognize their presence anytime.

"Wyatt?" he asked surprised, "didn't you get the clue that I was busy?" Cole cocked an eyebrow and caught the demoness before she could shimmer out. "I didn't dismiss you," he growled quietly pushing her down with the power of his mind, not bothering to even raise a hand to subdue her.

Obediently the demoness sank to her knees again, hesitant as if to resume her interrupted task her glance was fixated to her liege's face. She knew the appointment to serve him constituted a huge risk for her life. He didn't tolerate any negligence in the performance of his servant's duties. His short nod in agreement was all she needed to bend over his unzipped pants again. Cole's contented sigh soon after reassured her that she had avoided instant death for the moment.

"This couldn't wait," Wyatt said casually, reaching the throne. He looked down on the demoness, who didn't dare to interrupt her task again.

To be caught between the leader and the second in line was bad news for her. It was well known throughout the underworld that they didn't get along and their encounters were always messy for everyone around. Messy like in claiming many casualties amongst demons.

. "A new one?" Wyatt smirked, letting his glance wander over the demoness' voluptuous breasts which almost popped out of her corset. He wasn't above enjoying the perks his status brought him, and neither was Cole. "What happened to the last dozen?" he asked knowing the answer already. Cole was notorious for recklessly disposing the ones who didn't please him. And since none of them was his late Aunt Phoebe, none of them lasted long.

"None of your concern," Cole cut him short sternly. Normally Wyatt avoided him like the plague. He was intrigued why the older Halliwell brother bothered to come to him. But the timing could not have been worse.

Chris was the only reason Cole and Wyatt tried to keep it tolerably civil between them. While Chris and Cole had bonded in a somewhat father-son relationship, Wyatt had always hated Cole and had measured his powers with him.

"I need a moment to finish," Cole advised Wyatt, enjoying that this demoness had a very wicked tongue. Maybe he would keep her. A least for awhile.

Wyatt shrugged disdainfully and half-turned his back on Cole, pretending to give him some privacy. Inwardly grinning he conjured an Athame to his hand, hiding it with his body. He listened closely to Cole's quick breathing. The moment he heard Cole gasp, he quickly turned and found Cole had shut his eyes. Without hesitation he lunged out and plunged the dagger into Cole's heart. Cole's eyes shot open in shock staring at the blade in his heart. Determined Wyatt drove the blade in up to the hilt.

"Finally you get what you deserve!" Wyatt snarled pushing down on to the Athame piercing Cole's chest.

"An Athame can't kill me," Cole growled back struggling with Wyatt to sit up, but Wyatt managed to keep him down.

The demoness starred in horror at the men fighting and then started to crawl back slowly and silently when she found herself unable to shimmer out of the chamber. One of them was blocking her, but she didn't know who it was.

"Don't you wonder why you can't fight me?" Wyatt asked with sarcasm dripping from his words. He was kneeling on top of Cole, still dead set on keeping the dagger in his opponents' heart, which for any human would have stopped beating already.

"I wasn't trying to," Cole answered, starting to feel a little strained, "I'm curious what you are up to."

"You are so full of yourself," Wyatt spat, twisting the dagger causing Cole winced involuntarily. "Show me who is the strongest demon of all, fight for your fucking life!" Wyatt challenged, "It's pathetic how you let yourself be slaughtered like a sheep!"

"You have no idea. For a while I thought you wouldn't have the guts," Cole retorted like talking to someone with a slow mind.

"What are you talking about?" Wyatt demanded, his cold blue eyes boring into world weary blue ones.

"You know I saved you and your brother's life back then," Cole said watching in amazement as the blood started to trickle out of his chest. He hadn't bled in years.

"Don't expect any gratitude from me. You let my parents die!" Wyatt snarled, "I will always remember my mother begging you with her last breath..," Wyatt's voice trailed of, strangled by hatred for the man in front of him and the loss of his family he had never managed to overcome.

"Didn't owe them a thing!" Cole spat. "They abandoned me! I abandoned them! Tit for tat!"

"Your fault you didn't let me die too!" Wyatt hissed, satisfied with the growing pool of Cole's blood at his feet, "Why did you save Chris and me? Why did your black heart go soft?"

"It didn't," Cole answered shaking his head slowly. He started to feel slightly dizzy. "I didn't give a shit about your life that day. But I was impressed by the power you yielded only being 6 years old."

"You wanted my power?" Wyatt laughed incredulously. "If that's the reason, why didn't you just kill me and take it? I couldn't have stopped you at that time, unlike now." Wyatt was bewildered.

"I saw your potential," Cole panted, the pain in his chest increasing while he felt his magical power diminish and oddly enough he was strangely elated by this discovery. "And I was right. What did you do to the Athame by the way?" he asked casually.

"You feel it, don't you?" Wyatt smiled a victorious glint in his eyes. "It's sucking your powers out of you, old man, just leaving a mere human behind. And as you know, humans don't have a very long life expectancy with a dagger in the heart." He gloated over the clear evidence of Cole's increasing decay. That's how he had always pictured it. Cole Turner dying the same way his mother had. Bleeding to death without anyone daring or wanting to help him.

"It took me years to spy out all your powers and weaknesses, to find all the potions and ingredients that would bring you down. But I was patient and tenacious, I searched, I learnt, I threatened, I killed to achieve it." Wyatt was proud of his achievement as he watched his patron slowly bleed to death before his eyes.

"Yes I needed your power Wyatt, "Cole admitted with a raspy voice, not feeling his legs anymore. It won't be long now." I discovered that you were my only way out. I handpicked you to be my own assassin."

Thunderstruck Wyatt stared down at the man who had saved his life. The man he hated with passion over the years. "You knew?" he said unbelievingly, "all this time you waited for me to attack you?"

"Yeah," Cole coughed up some blood, spilling dark red mist on his shirt. It was a strange thought to finally die but not an unpleasant one though. "Had to keep you alive until you found a way to vanquish me."

Cole's glance glazed over, "I let her down. I don't deserve to live. I don't want to live anymore." Cole muttered to himself.

"Well, you got what you wanted," Wyatt said pitilessly, yanking the Athame from Cole's chest roughly, "and me too."

Cole slowly reached for the gaping wound in his chest, where his blood now poured like water through his fingers. The kid had more than fulfilled his expectations. "Don't deceive yourself Wyatt, you were just a chessman in my game. I set you up from the start."

"That doesn't matter," Wyatt said turning his head to search for the demoness, "only your death matters."

"Where do you think you are going?" he asked standing up. If she thought that she had slipped his attention she was deadly wrong. "I can't have any witnesses. Too bad, it sounded like you were quite gifted in your profession."

"Please, my liege," the demoness pleaded. She crawled forward on her knees and grabbed Wyatt's ankles and brought her head to his feet, kissing his shoes, "I can be of good use to you….. I will please you….and I won't tell a soul…"

"Of course you won't," Wyatt grabbed her hair and made her look up at him. She shivered under his merciless glance. She wondered how he could be the son of a white witch and a white lighter. She sensed only hatred and anger in him. He scared the wits out of her. For a moment their eyes locked and he smirked at her fear off him before she burst into a thousand pieces with a scream and was gone.

Wyatt turned back to look at Cole. He was barely breathing, very pale and sweating all over, but his glance was unwaveringly on Wyatt, his lips pursed in a smirk. Wyatt was pissed that the demon had used him, led him on into fulfilling the plan he had had all the time. This should have been Wyatt's biggest victory but Cole managed to make him feel like one of his ordinary henchman.

"Greet the Source from me," Wyatt growled. He held Cole's gaze, angered that Cole didn't even flinch. Instead, he seemed slightly amused by facing his own demise. Chagrined Wyatt called upon his power and directed it full force at Cole, wiping his arch-enemy and foster father from existence, not leaving any trace behind.

Now Wyatt was the most powerful and magical being in the realm. With a wave of his hand he cleaned the throne of Cole's blood and claimed it. The underworld was at his feet, the human world was going to be next, then Elderland. Wyatt smiled pleased with himself. They all were going to pay for the loss of his family.

The End  
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**A/N:** I was positively surprised how many people still read Charmed stories, despite the official ending. Thanks for making my day.  
Maybe you let me know which version you liked more? Are there some out there who prefer the bloddy version over the happy ending?


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